Macbook Pro 2008 Update

Testing conducted by Apple in October 2020 using preproduction 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with Apple M1 chip, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD. The Apple TV app movie playback test measures battery life by playing back HD 1080p content with display brightness set to 8 clicks from bottom. Battery life varies by use and configuration. Apple's 'complete secrecy' — Apple alleges ex-MacBook Pro designer leaked secret details to reporter Apple: Ex-employee leaked future hardware products, sought favors from reporter.

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• Macbook Pro Late 2008 Update
• Macbook Pro Late 2008 Update

Apple sued a former employee on Thursday, alleging that he leaked trade secrets to a reporter and sought favors from the reporter in exchange.

The lawsuit was filed against Simon Lancaster in US District Court for the Northern District of California. Lancaster spent 11 years at Apple before taking a job as head of consumer products at Arris Composites in late 2019. Lancaster was advanced materials lead and product design architect at Apple, where he 'was instrumental in the development of the 13'/15' MacBook Pro with the touch bar, and the design of unreleased Apple products,' an Arris Composites press release said at the time.

Apple's lawsuit alleged:

Despite over a decade of employment at Apple, Lancaster abused his position and trust within the company to systematically disseminate Apple's sensitive trade secret information in an effort to obtain personal benefits. He used his seniority to gain access to internal meetings and documents outside the scope of his job's responsibilities containing Apple's trade secrets, and he provided these trade secrets to his outside media correspondent. The Correspondent then published the stolen trade secrets in articles, citing a 'source' at Apple. On multiple occasions, Lancaster proposed that the Correspondent give benefits to Lancaster in exchange for Apple's trade secrets. For example, Lancaster proposed that the Correspondent provide favorable coverage of a startup company in which Lancaster was an investor as a quid pro quo. Lancaster even recruited the Correspondent to serve as his personal investigator. In one instance, Lancaster requested that the Correspondent explore a rumor that could prove harmful to a company in which Lancaster had invested.

Those last two sentences relate to an incident in spring 2019 in which Lancaster told the reporter of his 'displeasure with Apple' due to 'a story published that day that reported a rumor that Apple would produce a new hardware product,' the lawsuit said. 'Shortly thereafter, Lancaster asked the Correspondent to investigate the substance of that story because 'it could mean trouble for my [Lancaster's] startup.' The Correspondent replied, 'I'll see what I can find out.'

Lancaster subsequently 'communicated to a third party that the Correspondent had committed to publishing an article about Lancaster's startup if it obtained $1 million in funding,' Apple said, alleging that 'the Correspondent agreed to publish that article in exchange for Lancaster's ongoing misappropriation of Apple trade secrets.' When he left Apple for Arris Composites, Lancaster asked the reporter to 'write a story about a 12-year Apple Design Veteran leaving for an amazing startup,' Apple said. Whether those stories proposed by Lancaster were published is not made clear in the lawsuit.

We contacted Lancaster about the lawsuit and will update this article if we get a response. The reporter was not named in the lawsuit. Apple said the leaks included 'unreleased Apple hardware products' but did not say which ones.

Apple trade secrets

Apple's lawsuit alleged that Lancaster violated the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act and the California Uniform Trade Secret Act and breached a confidentiality and intellectual property agreement.

Apple alleged that Lancaster continued giving trade secrets to the reporter after he announced his resignation. 'Lancaster's role as the Correspondent's 'source' deepened even after he announced his resignation from his role at Apple,' the lawsuit said. 'Indeed, Apple's internal investigation of the Apple-owned devices provided to Lancaster as part of his employment shows that after Lancaster announced his resignation, he communicated with the Correspondent regarding specific Apple trade secrets sought by the Correspondent and took specific steps to obtain additional Apple trade secrets.'

Apple is famously secretive about its plans for future products, but details are often reported in advance of announcements because of leaks to journalists.

'The trade secrets Lancaster stole and sent to the Correspondent for publication included details of unreleased Apple hardware products, unannounced feature changes to existing hardware products, and future product announcements, all of which Apple guards closely,' Apple said in the lawsuit. 'Apple's product teams—innovators, designers, and builders—work in complete secrecy, often for many years, and at significant personal burden, all to surprise and delight Apple's customers with their creations. The deceitful and indefensible release of these product details enabled by Lancaster's misappropriation has undermined the morale of the teams that worked on the products and features in question.'

Apple said that a 'forensic review' of Lancaster's work devices show that 'Lancaster and the Correspondent coordinated to pilfer specific documents and product information from Apple. On numerous occasions, the Correspondent had requested Lancaster obtain specific Apple trade secret documents and information. On multiple occasions, Lancaster then sent the Correspondent certain of the requested confidential materials using Apple-owned devices. On other occasions, Lancaster met with the Correspondent in person to provide them with the requested confidential Apple information. The full extent of their conspiracy is presently unknown; however, Apple's investigation is ongoing.'

Apple security measures

Apple said it 'takes all reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality' of its trade secrets, including physical security at buildings, monitoring of computer access, 'requir[ing] all employees to execute strict confidentiality agreements,' and training employees on policies for treatment of confidential information. Apple said that Lancaster signed the company's confidentiality and intellectual property agreement in May 2008.

Lancaster was granted access to confidential information because he had a 'senior role' that involved 'evaluating materials and prototyping innovations to enable future generations of products,' Apple said.

While Apple didn't name Arris Composites directly in the lawsuit, the complaint said that Lancaster's new employer has a vendor service agreement with Apple. 'Portions of the trade secret information Lancaster misappropriated relate directly to his role at his new employer, and it is likely Lancaster's misuse of Apple's trade secrets continues to this day,' Apple alleged. 'In fact, on his last day at Apple, Lancaster downloaded a substantial number of confidential Apple documents from Apple's corporate network onto his personal computer that would benefit his new company.'

The vendor agreement with Apple includes a confidentiality agreement that Lancaster is subject to, Apple said. 'Apple therefore seeks the return of any and all copies of its [trade secrets] and to ensure that Lancaster no longer possesses such data and information and an injunction against any use of that information,' the complaint said.

Arris Composites, founded in 2017, says it makes 'carbon fiber composites that can be combined with other materials such as metals and even electronics.'

In addition to requesting an 'injunction enjoining [Lancaster] from continuing to misappropriate Apple's trade secret information,' Apple asked the court to make Lancaster pay damages, punitive damages, restitution, and attorneys' fees and costs.

“Why I left Apple”

Lancaster wrote favorably of his time at Apple in a November 2019 post on LinkedIn titled 'Why I left Apple and joined Arris Composites.' At Apple, 'I was able to step up and help the engineering product design department take sketches off the drawing board and turn them into real products,' he wrote. 'I fell in love with the magic of certain processes, like additive manufacturing and composites, and would stay on to become Apple's advanced materials lead.'

Lancaster has a few dozen patents from his time at Apple. As Lancaster became an angel investor in startups, 'I realized how much I missed the thrill of the unknown, the journey of exploration that many of these young founders were experiencing,' he wrote. Apple, by contrast, was a 'well oiled machine' that 'works so well it's hard to justify changing it.' Lancaster wrote that Arris will 'show that composites manufacturing is not just something for space shuttles, but can change the products we carry in our pockets and cherish on our desks.'

MacBook Air Q&A

Update Published August 11, 2019

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How do you replace or upgrade the battery in the MacBook Air? Is it even possible or is it glued in place?

The battery in all MacBook Air models is 'integrated,' which means it is not designed to be replaced by end-users, and it certainly is not easily 'swappable' like the battery in 'pre-Unibody' MacBook and MacBook Pro models.

The MacBook Air battery is replaceable, though. Thankfully, no soldering is required and Apple did not secure the battery in place with adhesive, either.

Official Replacement Option

Officially, when the battery life of any MacBook Air drops enough to justify replacement -- and it is no longer under warranty -- one is required to provide Apple with the entire MacBook Air for service.

Additional information is available from the company website -- and the price varies in different countries -- but as of the date last updated, it costs US$129 in the US, C$149 in Canada (originally C$209), £99 in the UK (originally £159), and A$199 in Australia (originally A$229) to have Apple replace the battery (including the battery itself).

If you live close to an Apple Store, you can opt for same-day service with an appointment. If you do not, you may alternately have the battery replaced by mail, which takes 3-4 days.

Self-Replacement Option

Although it might be a bit of a stretch to refer to battery replacement as a 'hack' per se, as it is rather straightforward, it is entirely possible to replace the battery yourself.

Replacing the battery yourself not only saves a bit of money, but it also can save time, and it can be much more secure as you are not required to turn your entire notebook over to a third-party, either. However, be very certain to purchase a quality battery. A low quality battery may not hold a charge for as long as a quality one, but it also may leak or even cause a fire.

AnandTech was the first to tear into the original MacBook Air and found that it is not difficult to replace the battery, although it does require the removal of a whopping nineteen screws.

Image Credit: AnandTech (Original MacBook Air -- Bottom Panel Removed)

The battery replacement procedure is quite similar for subsequent models. However, starting with the 'Late 2010' series, Apple uses five-point 'Pentalobe' screws (which some refer to as 'Security Torx' screws) on the exterior to more seriously discourage end-users from 'tinkering' with their computer. The battery assembly likewise is attached with T5 Torx screws. It's not really any more difficult to replace the battery in these models, it just requires a more obscure screwdriver.

Identification Help

Not all MacBook Air models use the same battery, so it is critical to identify your MacBook Air correctly in order to purchase a compatible battery.

The MacBook Air can be identified by the Model Identifier 'closely enough' to an exact match for the purpose of replacing the battery. In turn, each model can be uniquely identified via model identifier and one or more secondary identifiers (like processor speed and/or processor type).

EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature -- as well as the EveryMac app -- also can uniquely identify these models by the Serial Number, which is listed on the bottom of the notebook in small type toward the hinge and within the operating system alongside the model identifier. More details about specific identifiers are provided in EveryMac.com's extensive Mac Identification section.

To locate the model identifier in software, select 'About This Mac' under the Apple Menu on your computer and click the 'More Info..' button. If the MacBook Air is running OS X 10.7 'Lion' or later, you will need to click the 'System Report' button after clicking 'More Info..' as well. EveryMac.com has carefully hand documented each model identifier for your convenience.

Macbook Pro Early 2008 Firmware Update

The model identifiers for each of these models follows:

Battery Replacement Instructions

For the original, 'Late 2008,' and 'Mid-2009' MacBook Air models you essentially have to remove the bottom case (ten screws), unscrew the battery (nine screws), and finally, just unplug the battery and remove it.

The procedure is slightly different for the original model and the 'Late 2008/Mid-2009' models and a bit different for the 'Late 2010' and subsequent models, too.

Site sponsor Other World Computing both provides quality, compatible batteries (complete with the correct screwdriver) and has precisely documented the replacement steps for each, as well: Update os system mac.

Original MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir1,1)

Late 2008/Mid-2009 MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir2,1)

Late 2010 11' MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir3,1)

Late 2010 13' MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir3,2)

Mid-2011 11' MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir4,1)

Mid-2011 13' MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir4,2)

Mid-2012 11' MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir5,1)

Mid-2012 13' MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir5,2)

Mid-2013/Early 2014 11' MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir6,1)

Mid-2013/Early 2014 13' MacBook Air Battery Replacement Video (MacBookAir6,2)

As of the date last updated, quality batteries are few and far between for the 'Early 2015' and 'Mid-2017' MacBook Air models, but these models should not need to have their batteries replaced yet, either.

After watching the video for your model, it should be clear that replacing the battery is simple. When you remove the screws, though, pay careful attention to where each screw goes. In particular, some screws are longer than others.

Macbook Pro 2008 Firmware Update

However, if you do not feel comfortable doing the work yourself, hiring a professional is a good idea.

Battery Replacement Summary

Ultimately, those with modest technical skills can easily replace the battery in the MacBook Air models themselves should they choose to do so. Replacing the battery requires nothing more than a compatible, quality battery and the correct screwdriver or screwdrivers.

It cannot be stressed enough that it is very important to purchase a quality battery. Low quality batteries may not hold a charge for as long as a quality one, but even may leak or cause a fire.

My Macbook Air is the old one bought in 2015, but I recently updated it to MacOS Catalina, so I followed the guide to reset it under your Catalina instructions. I managed to erase the Macintosh HD Data volume, but when I tried to erase Macintosh HD it said “Erase process has failed”. In September 2018, Apple released macOS Mojave, the current version of the Mac operating system. (In case you’re keeping track, it’s version 10.14.). MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer) MacBook. Macos mojave macbook air 2011. MacOS Mojave (/ m oʊ ˈ h ɑː v i, m ə-/ mo-HAH-vee) (version 10.14) is the fifteenth major release of macOS, Apple Inc.' S desktop operating system for Macintosh computers. Mojave was announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 4, 2018, and was released to the public on September 24, 2018. For details about your Mac model, click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen and choose About This Mac. These Mac models are compatible with macOS Mojave: MacBook (Early 2015 or newer) MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer) MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer) Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer) iMac (Late 2012 or newer) iMac Pro (2017).

Battery Purchase Options

In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor OWC offers quality batteries for nearly all MacBook Air models.

In the UK and Ireland, site sponsor Flexx sells OWC batteries with free shipping.

In Canada, site sponsor CanadaRAM sells OWC batteries with fast shipping and no customs duties.

In Australia, site sponsors Macfixit and Upgradeable are local distributors of OWC batteries with fast delivery and more.

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